Heel-nailing machine.



C. R. TOWLE.

HEEL NAILING MAoHINE. A APPLICATION FILED 001.'.3, 1904.

982,550, Patented Jan.24, 1911.

@Mw/ff@ C. R. TOWLE.

HEEL NAILING MACHINE.

APPLIUATION Hum ooms, 1904.

982,550. Patented Jan. 24,1911.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

G. RQ TOWLB.

HEEL NAILING MACHINE.

APPLIoATloNV FILED oo'r.a. 1904.

982,550. l Patented Jan. 24, 1911.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

FIEL# Uli/m5155125:

C. R. TOWLE. HEEL NAILING MACHINE.

APPLIUATION FILED 0012s, 1904.

Patented Jan 24, 1911.

zal

t the accompanying crawings, is a specifica- .is laced between the heel and heel seat the gang and spanker are mounted. lVhile some plate npon the heel to hold the same in place CHARLES E. ToWLEfjor i-i'avEnnLL.

MEsNE ASSIGNMENTS,

`NASSACI-IUSEJlTS, ASSIGNOR, BY DRECI.1 TO UNITED MACHINERY COMPANY, OF PATERSON,

NEW JERSEY, A coRPoEA'rroN, 0E NEW Jeltsin?.V

HEEL-NAILING MACHINE.

Specification ofLetters Patent. Patented Jan, 24:, 1911,

Application inea october 3, 1904. serial No. 226,961.

To all who/n it may concern:

lle it known that l, Cimumcs R. TowLn, of Haverhill, county ot' Essex, and State of ltlassachusctts, have invented an Improvement in lleel-Nailing Machines, of which the following description, in connection with tion, like characters on the drawings representing like parts.

This invention relates to heel nailing maf chinos.

The invention is shown und described here'- in as embodied in a machine oi the class in which is employed a vertically movable cross l'iead-carryingla turret upon which the driver eatures of the invention are more partielllarly for use in connection with a machine of this class, other features are capable of more general application-tor example, to machines not employing a turret. It .will be understood, therefore, that the 'invention hereinafter described is not to be limited t0 machinesot the toi-mer class except where the terms employed are such that no other interpretation is possible.

,The invention will be described with particular reference to its `application to a ma'- chine @"ythe class ein loying a turret. In operating machines ov this character it has been customary for the operator to place the heel in position on the heel seat of the'shoe by hand and then to clamp the nail holding until the drivers advance and force the nails in the plate' through the heel into the shoe, the'clamping movement of the plate being reduced by a manually actuated device or 1n Some cases by a'tread-le and intermediate connections. In securing heels in this manner the heel otten inaccurately positioned upon the heel seat by the operator. More-` over, after it has been placed in position 1t is ot'ten moved somewhat while it is being4 clamped or nailed. Where glue or cement lia ility oit' slipping and displacement of the heel is increa:-:ed. llurtliermore, the action of driving the nails through theheel has a considerable tendency to move it upon the' i heel seat. Such movement is disadvantal geous not only because it causes the heel to be positioned improperly upon the heel seat, but also because 1t may cause the nails t0 be that the heel is not securely attac ed.

My invention is concerned more particularly with the production of a machine in which dilliculties of the nature above mentioned are avoided. In the present embodiment of the invention I provide means for positioning a heel in proper position witl relation to the heel scat of a slice, the arrangement being such that it is unnecessary for the operator to position the heel manually upon the shoe. A convenient const-rnction is that shown which comprises a carrier movable toward and from the nail driving mechanism and .provided with means for clamping a heel. with a heel while in a position remove `om the nail driving mechanism. Preferably a gnideway is provided which is constructed tov support a series of heels and to guide them into the path of the carrier, The arrangement is such that the clamp is opened to receive the heel when the carrier' 1s retracted from the nail-driving mechanism and is closed in the reverse movement. The. gnideway in the machine show n is constructed to support the heels edge to edge in an approximately horizontal row, the heels bcing advanced in the guidcway by hand at' the proper time.

Another important tion relates to means feature of my invenfor automatically distorted or crippled while bein driven, so

The carrier is sutpplicd clamping the heelvtirmly upon the heel seat i of the shoe, said means boing constructed to hold the heel so securely that it cannot be moved during the nailing operation.

'.lo this end, an important feature of the invention consists in the provision of means, actuated by the movement of the cross-head, for moving a work-engaging member, such as the nail plate, toward the jack to subject a heel to pressure preliminarily to the operation of the drivers. In the machine herein illustrated, the work-engaging mclnber is moved through a cam lever, or evers, actuated by the initial movement of the crosshead to apply the full pressure to the heel and then is locked in position with the heel under pressure during the subsequent attaching operation.

Other features of the invention will yhereinafter described and pointed ont in the vation, the rear side of a heeling machine `provided with my invention. Fig. 2 is a detail cross section on the line b-b of Fig. 5. Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the main operating parts vof the machine. Fig. 4 is a side elevation thereof partly in section. Figs. 5 and 6 are enlarged sectional detail views taken'on the line c-e of Fig. 3, showing the parts in different positions. Figs. 7 and 8 are respectively top and Abottom plan views of the nail and heel carrier, and, Fig. 9 is a plan view of the carrier supporting head.

The machine illustrated in Fig. 1 is in many respects identical with a well-known type of heeling machine-employingv a vertically movable cross head 1 which is reciprocally mounted inthe usual manner on the frame 2 of thevmachine, and is driven vby a suitable power mechanism which need not be specifically described, as such mechanism is well known in the art. The usual turret 3 is mounted in the cross head 1 and is provided with the usual driver block, having a gang of drivers 4, and a top lift holder and spanker 5. The jack 6 is mounted upon the bed of the machine in a position to hold the; shoe bottom side up, as illustrated in Fig. 4,. and the usual shoe centering means are pron` vided at each side of and in the rear of the.,

jack. rllhe nail holding plate or carrier 7 is slidably mounted in ways 70 formed on the head 8, which is in turn supported on a column 9, the latter being mounted upon the bed of the machine, and said head being adapted to move vertically upon said column, and being yieldingly supported by a spring, indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 4, which normally holds said head up against a suitable stop. The holder carrier 7 is provided with a series of nail holes 10 which are arranged correspondingly to the drivers 4.,

and are of such a diameter as to permit said drivers to pass freely therethrough. A pair of nail guiding and supporting plates 11 and 12 are supported above' the face plate 13, the latter being provided with a Iseries of nail holes which register with theholes 10 of carrier 7. A trough or guide, way 17, which is shown as arranged in a nearly horizontal position, although it may be ,inclined with equal advantage, is secured to one side of the head 8, in register with an opening 18 which leads into chamber 19 formed in the upper side of the head directly beneath carrier 7, and a spring 2O is secured at one end to the botom 'of said trough 17, and eX- tends longitudinally therein upwardly into said chamber 19, as best illustrated in Figs. 2, 5 and 9, sothat when a number of heels are placed in said trough and pushed toward the head vthe foremost heel will be pressed firmly against theunder side of the carrier by` the spring 20, as shown in Fifi'. 5. An adjustable stop plate 190 is provided adjaf cent the end of said spring 20, said plate being adjusted to stop the heel near 4the eenter of the carrier. The rear end of the wall ofchamber 19 comprises two rearwardly inclined, obliquely disposed abutments 21, the faces of which meet in a line of intersection which is in the central vertical plane of the jack, as shown in Fig. 9. A heel clamping bar or breast gage 22 is held close to the under side of the carrier near the front end thereof, by means of a pair of rods`23, which are reciprocally mounted in chambers formed in the front end of the carrier, springs 24 bein provided for drawing said bar rearwar l and the supporting arms of said bar acting as stops for limitmg 'the rearward movement thereof. A holding latch or back gage 25 is pivotally connected at its rear end to the front end of a. plate 26, which is slidably mounted inA the under side of the earrier, and adjustably connected thereto by a clamping nut 27. nected to the rear end of latch 25, and acts to hold the same in the slightly inclined position illustrated in Fi 5 and 6. rlhe front end of said latch is provided with aV-shaped centering notch, as shown in Fig. 8, the apex of said notch lying in the vertical plane of the line of intersection of the faces of abut ments 21.

A pair of oppositely disposed cam dogs 29 are pivoted at 300 to stationary brackets 30, mounted on the frame of the machine, said dogs each having an inclined upperend por- A stop arm 28 is con-- tion, or cam 31 inrposition to be engaged by rolls 32 journaled on the cross head 1. Said dogs are also provided with armsI 33 inposi tion to engage the upper side of the carrier 7, when they are swung toward each other upon their pivots. Springs 34 are connected to said dogs, and act to swing them away from each other to lift said arms 33 from the carrier. One of the arms 33 is provided in its end with a knife edge 35, see Figs. 1 and 5, which is adapted to enter a recess 3G in the upper side of the carrier, and to ccn ter the front end of the latter over the heel of the jack.

The operation of the above described machine is as follows: The operators assistant, who stands at the back of the machine, places a number of -heels in the guide-way 17 with thc breast side facing the front of the ma-l 120 or`notched end a short rear side of the heel, see Fig. f7,

season gages the breast or trie heel, and tliienjgfthejl heel is drawn lba'clt with the carrier until its rear side is pressed against thc inclined abul'.- y mentsQl, and theV springs 24 are-compressed, 5 the rods 23 being v Fig'. 7.' The inclined abutments l to center `the heel' drawn out., as shown Iin erfeetly with relation lto e faces thereot are rearthe jack, and, as t the heel will be forced Wardly inclined,

firmly up against -the under side of the f ace notwithplatel, as illustrated in Fig. (i, standing the fact that the only 'portionol the heel which bears against said'abutments 21 is at its then lower corner, which is bc- 16W the level of the point at which the bar 22 engages its breast. l

When the plates have reached `this position the'latch 25 'will have dropped' down to the with its forked distance from the i inclined po-sition of Fig. (i,

dotted position of so that when the carrier is pushed forward again the springs of bar 22 will continue to hold the heel back against abutyj, 25 mentsQl until it is engaged by latch 25,

inits'V-shaped notch, and, as the member of a heel `holding clamp.

."Zfwill still be under tension, the heel will be firmly pressed into the `notch of said latch, 'which thereby becomes the stationary plate 18, as illustrated in Fig. LL, said slide 26 previously'havin beenA adjusted so that the` heelwill be held) in the desired relation I to the nailiholes offsaid plate. VWhen the carrier' is again pushed forward'to its limit the heel will be carried to the correct position over the heel v'seat of the shoe, onthc jack. The nail holes 10 having previously 40 been 'supplied with nails,

previously been placed upon andA a shoe, having the jack by the operator, the operator depresses the trreadle,

` causing the head to bedrawn down, the tu'rre then being in theposition illustrated in ,.l'gs. 1,3 and 4, with the driver gang'vin 'i inemc'nt with the holes 10 of' the' carrier.' A

head moves downwardly the rolls dbear against the cam faces 31 on tlie dogs 29, caiisingythein to be swung toward 59 each other, and-.pressing their fingers 53 i glovv'n upon the uppeil side of thecar'rlier, de

'pressing headS, and pressing the heel, heldr -b f/the carrier, upon the heelseat,` If the airie'r should 'happen to be slightly misit will be moved to the proper posi itfon'by'the kuifje edge 35 as .it enters recess fBG. "By the time thei heel has-been pressed firmlyon the heel'seat the dogs 29 wjll have been swung together to siieh fan extent that 60 theirstraght sides ,4,0'will be vert-ical and the"`rolls 3 9 will have" passed from the faces 31,'-t`0 'isaid sides 40, so that during further doyvnwardjmovement of the cross head the pressure ofthe dogs, on' the carrier-will not 2i will act' i "i, therethroughis avoided. It will be observed springs rlhe heel Will also be 'hell against the under side of i l theheels may be supplied to the guideway i i he increased. ll'his pressure is, however,

f much greater than what would be secured by the operatoria clamping the heel by hand, and is suiiicient to hold the heel in place so firmly that 'all possibility, of its being displaced by the'4 action of driving the nails inv this connection that the heel is held from horizontal movement by the rigidly 'held' heel which has been attached by the spring of head 8, so that the operators assistant may draw back the carrier in the manner before described. After the heel has been in the usual man-ner, anc the operation of attaching the heel is completed. -Itwill b e seen that the guideway 17 and the carrier which coperates with`1t; afford i a convenient and effective means for supplyingthe lheels to attaching position.` In heel'attaching machines now in eral use the heels are necessarily 'supp ied singly to the machine 'and inserted byfhand in' the positioning vclamps before themachine is started. In the present invention 17 whenever convenient, and the operation of inserting a heel inthe carrier is accomplished by advancing by hand the line of heels in the guideway and rtracting the l carrier, it being unnecessary for the operator or his Iassistant to touch the heel which 'moves into the path of the carrier, or tol manipulate the clamping means upon the carrier. i i

-\ Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire Ato secure by Letters Patent is 1. ln a heel nailing1 machine, a vertically nuivable head,

a driver mounted thereon, a

, tp be held in line with the jack, and mechaism actuated by said head during the first ly tically said plate to press a heel 4upon the l heel seat and for liolding said plate in the position to which it is moved during the atter part df 'its acting movement.

, 2. jl'n 11 i/eil nailing machine, a vertically movable cross head, a driver/gang mounted thereon,- jiiclt, a vertically movable nail plate adapted to bc held over the jack, means carried by saidplate 'for 'supporting a heel attached the top lift is spanked onto the heel again lifted the carrier islift'ed from the los jack, a vertically movable nail plate adapted part of its acting movement formoving ver- Cil:

'against the face of said nail plate, and means, operated by saidffcros's'head. as it descends, for depressing said plate in advance of the driverfgang and"for`locking the same in a 'depressed'.position while said gang is descending, scribed.r f

3. In a heel nailing machine, a vertically movable head, a driver mounted thereon, a jack, a vertically movable nail plate adapted to be held over the jack, means carried by said plate for supporting a heel Vbeneath it,

a stationarily pivoted lever arranged' to be 'acted upon by said head as .it descendsand 15,tofy depress said plate to a predetermined rposition, the construction and' arrangement being such as to permit further downward movement oi said hea with said lever andwhile holding said plate in said position, substantially as described.-

4f. In a heel nailing machine, a vertically: movable head, a ldriver mounted thereon, a.

jack, avertically movable` nail plate adapted said plate for supporting a heel beneath it,

a stationarily pivoted lever having two faces',A

.'at an angle' to each other arranged to be successively acted upon4 by said head as it descends, and formed to cause said plate `to be depressed to a predetermined position and to be .locked in such position duringV further downward movement, Isubstantially as described.

ln a heel nailingmachine, a supporting F head having a heel .chamber in its upper end, an approximately horizontal heel guide-way leading into one side of said chamber, a jack infront of said hea'd, a carrier movable toward and from said jack, and having a nail plate adapted to be held `over said jack, heel holding members supported by said carrier and disposed at opposite ends of and beneath said plate, and means for causing said members to engage a heel in said chamber, during the movement oi the carrier, substantially. as described.

ln a heelnailing machine, a jack, a horizontally movable carrier having a nail `plate adapted to be held over said jack, a i'earwai'dly spring-pressed heel-clamping member suppi'irted by said carrierat the front end oi said plate, and a heel holding meinber supported by said carrier in the rear ofneath the rear port-ion of said carrier when in its forward position, and for holding it from rearward movement as said clamping member is pressed against the same by rear- .wa rd movement of the carrier, substantially as described.v i

7. lna heel nailing machine', a jack, a

horizontally movable carrier having a nail plate adapted to be held over the jack, a rearwardly spring-pressed heel-clamping substantially as def d while in engagement,

to be held over the jack, means 'carried by said plate, means for supporting a heel be;l

member supported by said. carrier attlie 6'5 frontend of said plate, anda heel-hol ing latch pivoted to said carrier 'in therea of vsaid plate, means for pressing av heel .against the under side'of said carrier when in its forward position, and means for holding the 7b heel from rearward vlmovement as said' clamping member is pressed against the same/hpon a rearward movement of the car rier, Substantially as'described.

8. In a heel nailing machine, a. jack, a 7 5 horizontally .movable carrier having a nail plate adapted to'be held over said jack, a rearwardly spring-pressed heeLCIamping' member supported by said carrier'at' the front end of said plate, and. a relatively stationary, heel-hold1ng member supported by said carrier in the rear of said plate,.- means for supporting. a heel, beneaththe rear portion of said carrier whenin its forward position, and a heelfcentering abut-` ment for holding the heel Ifrom rearward movement as s'aid clamping member 4 is pressed against the same upong'rearward movement of the carrier, substantially as,- described. .A U -i 1x90 9. In a'heel'snailing machine, jack, a horizontally movable carrier 'havinga nail?.` plate adapted to be held over said jack, af rearwardly springressed heellclamping member fsupported y said carrier` at the front end of said plate, and a heelholding member connected tosaid carrier in the rear ol said plate, means' for supporting'a heel beneath the rear portion of said carrier when in its forward position, meansforl holding the-heel from rearward-movement, as said clamping-member is pressed against the same by rearward movement ofthefcarf' rier, comprisinvf an abutment having faces convergingto the central' plane of the jack," 105 substantially asdescribed. AQ10. In' a heel nailing machine, a jack, a horizontally movable carrier having. a nail plate adapted to be held over said jaclnfa rearwardly springressed heel-clamping 1 1'0 member supported y said carrier' at the front end 'of said plate, anda heel-holding member supported by said carrier in the rear of said plate, means for vsupporting a heel beneath the rear portion of said carrier 116 when inits forward position, means for holding the heel -from rearward movement,; as saidclamping-member is pressed against the same by rearward movement of the car-v rier, comprising an abutment having vrear- 120 wardly inclined faces;l converging to tle'cen tral plane ofthe jack, substantially as de-.- scribed.

11. In a heel nailing machine, a jack, a horizontally movable carrier having aynail 125 plate adapted to be held over said' jack, a.. rearwardly spring-pressed heel-51am ing( bar supported by saidcarrier atthe ront forvpressmg the heels against the under side of ,the carrier, and means for holding the Ait lao

. horizontally heelitfia 'beet @when heel from rearward movement as the carrier moved rearwardly, substantially as dc-l scribed. y l I 125111 a heel nailing machine, a jack, a ,movable carrier Jhaving la nail plate'adapted. tobe helds'over said jack, a rearwardly s ring --pressec heelgc'lan'i 'ing bar'sii porte byfsaid earrierlfatthe' ront end- Ao said plate, ,a forwardly,,extending heel-holding latch pivotally'coifected to vsaid v'carrier in the rear of said plate',r and movbleinto the plane of sa'id plate'fa'stop, for holding said latch in anI oblique'position `with its front end below the lev'elof said plate, n'iea'ns for holding a heelv z igainst' the under side'f'oi-,said 'carrier and"pre\`intl" ing rearward movement thereof as thecarl rrier is movedrearivardly, siibstanti'ally''asl described,

13.l In a ,heel nailing horizontally yn'iovable carrier"4 havinv` anail plateadalpted to be'held overwsaid jack, a rearwardlyf` ,sprii'igl pressed heel clamping bar sji'iipw'rte'c'l by said 'carrier at'theiront end .oiiy'said plate, aA Al'infwaidly .extending heel-holding latch pivotally and adjnstably eonne'c'tedvtofsaid carrier in the rear oi said plate, means orholding a heel beneath the rear portion of said carrier when in its fon ward position, and means for holding the heel from rearward movement as said bar is pressed `against the same upon rearward inoveinent'olf the carrier, siiibstantially as described.. y j p ilyl.` In a lioelfattaching i'michine, th'e conibinati n ivith inecl'ninism loi"driving-nails intoa lieeh'ofa carrier movabletoward and ,'i'o'musagid ylziiliecln'niiafin and provided with means'for clamping la heel and Va.guideway const noted to supporta seriesot heels edge ge` and .arranged to guide them into position to be engaged lby said ii-la'niping means-f `In a, heel attacliingi'machine, the coinbinatgomwith mechanism for driving nails into a heel, of a carrier movable toward and from said mechanism and provided with means for clamping a heel, and a guidewa'y constructed to support a series oi" heels edge rtgedgmand arranged to guide them into the patlrof the carrier, said clamping means being; arraiiged to be vbrought intoV et'eetive relationto'ahecl by the movement ofthe' I carrier-, -.-:1 a.

1K6. In a' heel attaching machine, the combination with-'mechanism l for attaching a and meansfor 'positioning the heel upon the boot orv shoe, of a guideway 'for the heels constructed to support a series of heels in an approximately iorizontal row, and arranged to guide the heels to said positioning means.

l?. In a heel attaching machine, the combination with mechanism for driving nails .into a heel, oi a carrier inovabletoward and from said mechaiiismgand provided with means for clampingaV heel, and a guideway constructed to support .a series ot' heels edge to edge. and arranged to guide them into the p'ath ofthe carrier, a'ndmeansut'or holding Ltlie heel while it. is engaged by one clamp L member to permit ,the other' member to be moved by the carrier to open the clamp to receive the heel, substantially las described.

18. .In a heel nailing machine, a vertically movable head, a driver .mounted thereon, .a

acl,`a vertically movable nail' plate adapted to'be `held over the jack, means' carried by said'pllate for. Supporting a heel beneath it,

a stationarily pivoted lever having a cam age'and a locking face, means on said head for engaging said cam face on its downward movement to move said lever to depress said plateto a predetermined position, and for thereafter engaging said locking face to hold the plate in said position during further downwar(v described.

1 9. In a bination with mechanism for-driving nails into a heel, of a carrier movable toward and from said mechanism, means-for guiding a heel into the path of said carrier and for restrainingsaid heel from rearward movement with the carrier, devices sustainedb said carrier lor gripping the heel arrange( to be opened b v engagement with the heel in the rearward movement of the carrier, and means l'or closing said devices upon-the heel in the forward movement of the carrier.

2U. .l'n a heel nailing machine the combination with mechanism for driving nails into a heel, ot' a cai-rior movable toward and from said mechanism and provided with clamping devices arranged to open longitudinalliy el' the eairierto receive a heel and a giiideway extending transversely of the path ot the carrier and arranged to guide a heel into position to be ('ltwiees.' I

ln a heel attaching machine, thecom hiniition with mechanism for I into a heel, ot' a carrier movable toward' and 'from said mechanism and 'provided 'with means for clamping a heel and a guideway 'for supporting a series ofheels with their side edges in eiigagement with each other, constructed'to guide theheels into position t0 be engagedby said clamping means.

22. In a heel nailing machine, a vertically movable head, a driver mounted thereon, a

movement, substantially as heel attaching machine the coingripped'by said clamping' driving -nails iio jack, a vertically movable nail plate adapted to be held in line with the jack and mecha` nism actuated by an initial movement of the head for forcing the plate toward the jack whereby the heel is pressed into engagen'lent with the shoe prior to the attaching 4operation, and means for returning` said mechanism to its initial position during the return movement of the hea'd.

93. In a heel attaching machine, the combination with attaching mechanism` of a earrier movable toward and from said mechanism and provided With means for clamping a heelthereon` and a. guideivay for supporting a series of heels with their side edges in engagement with each other formed to support the heels with their lifts in an approximately horizontal position and arranged to guide the .heels into position to be engaged by said clamping means. r

24. In a heel attaching machine, the combination with attaching mechanism, of a carrier movable toward andv from said mechanism and provided With means for clamping a -heel thereon, a guideivay for supporting a series of heels in line with their side edges in contact With each other arranged to guide the heels into position to be engaged by said clamping means andan adjustable stop for limiting movement of the heels toward said clamping means. v

25. In a heel attachingmachine, the combmation with atta ching n'iechanism, of a carrier movabletoward and from said mechanism and provided With means for clamping a heel, a guideway for supportinga series of heels with their side edges in contact with each other arranged to guide the heels into a position beneath the carrier in operative relation to said clamping means, and means for pressing the heels against the lower face of the carrier.

2G. In a machine of the character described,- a support having a heel receiving space, a guideway constructed to supporta series of heels edge to edge and to conduct the heels successively into said space, and a carrier for successively removing the heels from said space.

27. In a machine of the character described, a vertically movable support having a heel receiving space, a guideway coiinected to said support and movable therewith, said guideway being constructed to support a series of heels edge .to edge and to conduct the heels successively into said space, and a carrier for successively removing the heels from said space.

98. In a heel attaching machine, a support having' a heel receiving space, a carrier mov-A i able to and from a heel receiving position successively to conduct the heels from said space :fand deliver them to the attaching mechanism, and a guideway for delivering 1 the heels to said space when the carrier isv out of heel receiviiig position.

29. In a machine of the character described, a movable support having a heel receiving space, a carrier movable to and .fro in said space, successively to remove the heels therefrom, a guideway in open communication with said space, connected to said support and movable therewith, said guideway being constructed to. support a. series of heels edge to edge and to vdeliver the heels to said space While the carrier is out of its heel receiving position.

30. In a machine of the character described, the combination of mechanism for driving nails into a heel, a carrier movable into operative relation with said nail driving mechanism,- a breast gage and a back gage sustained by said carrier for gripping a blank, said back gage being movable in a direction substantially perpendicular to one surface of the blank.

31. In a machine of the character de scribed, the combination of a carrier plate provided with a surfaeefor engaging the tread face of a blank, a breast gage movable with relation to said carrier plate and a lank engaging member movable in a direction at an angle to the plane of said plate for engaging the rear edge of the blank.

32. In a machine of the character described, `the combination of a carrier plate provided with a surface for engaging' the tread face of a blank, a breast gage yielding-ly movable with relation to said carrier plate and a blank engaging member movable in a direction at an angle to the plane of said carrier plate for engaging the rear edge of the blank, said engaging member being l so formed'as to permit-a blank to move )laterally With relation thereto whereby said blank may be seated squarely Vagainst the said breast gage. l'

In a heel attaching machine, a blank holder having positioning means comprising a breast gage and a separate back gage relatively movable to embrace the edges 'of the blank, said separate back gage having a main portion and anengaging portion lmounted for movement relative to the main portion in. a path of direction at substantial right angles tothe plane of the tread face of the blank.

34. A .vork `holder for boot and shoe machines comprising a breast. gage and a back gage, means for moving said gages toward each other to clamp the Work between them, means ffor supporting the breast gagel unyieldingly With reference to movement in a direction transverse of the tread su rfaee of the heel and means for supporting the back gage yieldingly with reference to movement in the' vsame direction. I

35. A heel attaching Inachme having, in

combination, a 'recirocatory cross-head,

drivers carried Vthere a jack7 a movable heel-engaging plat". a aptetl to be held in alinement with and between said drivers and said jack, a lever pivoted to the frame of the machine and having a cam face, and another facedisposed at an angle thereto, and means carried by said cross-head and acting on said cam face during the movement of the' crosshead for swinging said lever to move said heel-engaging plate toward the jack, thereby subjecting a heel to -pressure preliminarily after acting upon the other face of said lever to lock said heel engagmg-plate in position 15 y of pressure.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses. l

CHARLES R. TOWLE.'

Witnesses:

L. H. HARRIMAN, H. B. DAVIS. 

